Toledo, Lucas Co. unemployment up slightly

Jobless rates of 7% and 6.5%, respectively, still significantly lower than 2013.

8/19/2014

BLADE STAFF

Lucas County‘‍s unemployment rate for July rose two-tenths of a percentage point from June but at 6.5 percent remains far below last year.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, which released the estimates today, said the unemployment rate in the city of Toledo also rose from June, going from 6.8 percent to 7 percent in July. However, the city unemployment rate also is significantly lower than it was a year ago.

Because monthly data for counties and cities are not seasonally adjusted, economists say the best way to look at the data is year to year, not month to month. In July, 2013, Lucas County’‍s unemployment rate was 8.8 percent; the city‘‍s unemployment rate a year ago was 9.6 percent.

The decreases come from a combination of more people working and fewer people in the labor force.

Data from the state show employment in Lucas County rose by 3,100 from July, 2013 to July, 2014. However, the state also said the county’‍s labor force — the total number of people either working or actively searching for work — decreased by 2,100.

The city added 1,900 jobs from last year, but 1,700 people left the labor force.

Unemployment were up from June in all three of the other counties making up metro Toledo. Fulton County‘‍s unemployment rate was 6.1 percent, up from 6 percent in June. Ottawa County’‍s unemployment rate jumped to 6.5 percent from 5.8 percent in June. In Wood County, the July unemployment rate rose to 5.6 percent from 5.4 percent in June.

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